A Good Friend
by Scooby176
Summary: After the events of X3 Marie and Logan share a moment. If you like this I'm thinkin of bringing in more characters and work out the kinks of X3 like where did nightcrawler go, Magneto and Mystique face off, powers returning and maybe bring in the legacy v


**This is chapter one after being grammatically revived by the wonderful syndic-machiavelli. This has been a long time coming and the second chapter shall shortly follow.**

**I do not own any of the xmen characters. This is a movie based fanfic but I'm also a big fan of the comics/cartoons, etc. This will be a rogue/wolverine fic. Hope y'all enjoy it.**

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Rogue looked out onto the terrace and could see that this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. Logan was contemplating past events, with which he didn't have many to contend: between cage fighting, weapon x and killing the woman he loved. At that moment he couldn't recall one happy memory.

She looked at him hoping to have some sign thrown her way. She was his friend, so there was really only one thing she could do.

Logan took a brief drag of his cigar and rested both rough hands on the stone ledge covered in ivy. He looked over the mansion grounds, the kids in wait of education. He didn't know what kind of education he had had, if any. He supposed that he had many many life lessons and they all stung bitterly. He could feel her approach: for a brief moment his mind wandered away from Alcatraz and how he did the right thing but it was never going to feel right. He wondered what her decision had been. She had her reasons for taking it or not. He wasn't going to push her. He just knew that along with the freedom, she wouldn't belong at the mansion anymore, she would be out of place. It didn't matter anyhow: he had made a promise to take care of her and wouldn't ever break that promise. He had few people in this world he truly cared about and who cared about him. She was one of them: it didn't matter what her genetic make up was.

She stood very close to him. It was a tip off for Logan that she had in fact taken that supposed cure. Her petite brown eyes wandered everywhere except for Logan. He glanced a meek smile her way and she finally returned his gesture. They both turned to look out towards the grassy plains of the mansion grounds. She smelled of honey and milk, shower gel, sweat and slight fear. He wanted to ask how she was, if she regretted it, if Bobby was being a decent guy about it all, what was going on with her...but the words didn't come easily weighed down by so much drama. Where to start was the real question.

Rogue wanted to ask him about Jean, how it happened. Storm had been expertly elusive about it all. She knew he had stopped the Phoenix but there was more to it than that. She wanted to ask him how he felt, what he would do, if he was able to survive and stay at the mansion. She wanted to let him know things too. She wanted to let him know that he had a family around him, that he wasn't alone and that no matter what she was there for him.

In the midst of all their thoughts Logan hadn't noticed that Marie wasn't wearing any gloves, but her long green coat covered most of her skin. She knew that she nothing stopped her from doing so, but she wasn't going to strip down and run naked through the halls. There were more important things going on. She didn't know how to say all the things she wanted, instead the thoughts and feelings stuck in her throat. She could hear Logan breathing heavily, sighing at his predicament. Feeling that once again he was an animal that hurt the people he loved. She knew he still thought of her as the kid and that's what the brick wall in her mind was made of. The thoughts couldn't come to fruition because he always made it clear that he thought her actions were trivial or part of the drama of being a teen. The thoughts emerged: he didn't want to know that this kid loved him, cared about him and would do anything for him. He didn't want to know. As she kept thinking it she gave herself a mental kick. This wasn't the time to whine about him not reciprocating her feelings, this was the time to be a good friend.

She couldn't say it so her hand gently moved over the top of his. That hand that pressed beneath her own softer skin was rough and worn. She squeezed his hand so slightly just to let him know that she was there. Not anticipating the contact, he looked into her sympathetic deep brown eyes and took the comfort she was willing to give. Staring at her inquisitively as to why she cared so much about someone so...wrong. This look turned to a smile, the smallest and briefest, but it was the only recognition he could give her. She took it and they went back to staring out into the sky. He left his cigar to burn on the ledge and they stood quietly in each other's company.

The day was setting. Pink, lilac and orange filled the sky making the dark woodland trees stand out. Marie was in awe of it. Logan could feel her hand slip back to its original place beside his. He knew that she cared about him, he didn't know why but without either of them expecting it they had grown close. Without warning he wrapped his arm her and pulled her close, a slight squeeze as his face buried in her hair before he returned to staring at nothing. His hand rubbed her arm as they remained standing, Marie looked up at him with a smile of pain, sympathy and happiness.

He didn't look back at her, simply saying, "Promised I'd take care of you right?"  
Marie nodded but he still didn't look her way.

"Thanks for returning the favour," Logan said, swallowing hard to avoid tears.

"Not a favour, it's a promise." Marie bared her want a little.

"Kinda glad you got the cure," he said appreciating the close proximity without death.

"Me too," Marie said leaning her head against his warm chest listening to his heartbeat.

"I...I've done things, bad things kid but..."

"That don't matter," Marie was blinded by love.

"It does," he replied gruffly, "but I can do good things from now on."

"Ya have. I'm not bein stupid Logan. I know what ya capable of but I am always gonna care about ya," Marie had become all riled up. Logan had finally turned to her and calmed her down.

"Take it easy kid," his hands held her shoulders, "What I'm tryin to say without the need for an impassioned speech is that I love ya and I'm always gonna be here for ya."

Marie had wanted those words to mean something slightly different but it was amazing in their own true context; even the word kid didn't irk her. What he needed right now was not some lovesick teenager moping around after him, she was his friend and that would always be what grounded them.

Logan was still holding her waiting for some response. He worried slightly that she would take it the wrong way and think he was confessing some crush; this was not that. He loved her as a friend, as family. He knew no one loved him as much as Marie did and there was no one else alive whom he felt so much need to protect.

They smiled at each other, Rogue masking her slight disappointment. But what did she expect? He had just lost the woman he loved and she wouldn't be vying for his affections, she had them already and while they weren't sexual or lusty they were love.

She said in all innocence, "I love ya too." Marie braced herself, trying to brush off how the words had made her feel.

To Be Continued


End file.
